Inside
by Lilylovesbones
Summary: Collection of one-shots about one of my favourite couples  show version . Just some little insight of their lives together. Strictly Dair with some hints of Nate/Serena.
1. Chapter 1

So come on, get higher, loosen my lips  
>Faith and desire in the swing of your hips<br>Just throw me down hard  
>And drown me in love<p>

She does end up having her perfect wedding ceremony when it comes to it. There's only the two of them, escorted obviously by their parents and the couple formed by the best man and the maid of honour. It all takes place on a warm June morning in a small garden they discovered by chance going to a morning show.

Unlike last time, she beams walking down the aisle, with her fathers proudly escorting her to the man she had somehow fallen in love with after years and years of loathing and cynicism on her behalf (though he had admitted reciprocating the feeling once they had gotten together). Mother looked adoringly to her only daughter, finally making a choice for herself and standing up for herself for once: she had some doubts about the boy at the beginning, but he had proved himself worthy of her baby's affections.

And this time, when she reads her vows and says "I do" she's not on the brinks of tears and she is not watching her all life tumble down in front of her eyes. She actually sees a whole new life beginning for her, one where she'll be able to chose how to act and how to behave without the constant fear of being judged. She'll still consider Upper East Side her home, but she now also knows that there's something beyond it and that's something he made her realize.

He watches her slide across the garden smiling up at him, her curves embraced by the most beautiful wedding dress his mother-in-law could ever produce and her hair cascading down her shoulder, only a simple daisy decorating it. She has no tiara on this time, she's not becoming a princess but she still looks like a queen to him: she's the most beautiful girl he has ever seen, even though it has taken him years to notice. He too had had his mind clouded by feisty, tall blondes for years, and he had never truly noted how that hateful brunette only needed someone to talk to. And hopefully, he was going to be that someone for the rest of their lives.

She stands next to him, mirroring his own grin when the preacher says they are officially man and wife; it was only a few minutes earlier that he got to read his own vows, written and spoken by himself alone, and not for someone else. And she laughs when he reminds her how it all started and all the secrecy and all the bantering they had to go through to get here and he almost forgets how to breathe because that's her real way of laughing. She's not pretending, not anymore.

And when they end up in that UES' restaurant to have their wedding luncheon and Rufus holds up his glass to "Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Waldorf-Humphrey", they can't help but look at each other and kiss.


	2. Call it Home

And now after all  
>My searching<br>After all my questions  
>I'm gonna call it home<p>

She roamed the streets wearing her favourite pair of six-inches Blaniks, now and then stopping to admire the lighting windows showing the newest season stylists could offer her. Yes, she had promised she would not buy unnecessary things, but how could she possibly have resisted that wonderful Chanel blouse now resting in the bag she was holding? Plus, she had already repressed the urge to buy a new De La Renta dress.

Blair hailed the nearest cab she could find and gave her mother's address where she was supposed to meet Serena to discuss the organization of her birthday party: she had previously got an e-mail from Lily demanding not to exaggerate, considering last year's results. No, this time there would be no alcohol. At least less than last time for sure.

Luckily there was no traffic and got there just in time to catch Cyrus leaving for his office, so she had the chance to call in a favour she needed from mother with his help: lately Elionor Waldorf seemed to be rather lacking on her kind side. Or so it looked like to her. After obtaining a positive answer from her step-father , Blair headed towards the elevator and pushed the highest button to the penthouse.

-I want daddy!-she was welcomed by the yelling of a little girl around four jumping up and down the corridor with Dorota and her mother in tow. Blair couldn't help but smile looking down at the form of her approaching daughter, doe-like eyes filled with tears and her usually immaculate Armani dress covered in crayons.

-Hello, bear. May I know what's happening?-Blair asked scooping the little girl up and mouthing an apologize to the observing two women- You should know ladies don't cry, my darling-

-I want daddy!-sniff-He promised me a story!-sniff-And he hasn't come home to read it to me!-

-Oh, honey. You know daddy is in LA for the new book. He's coming back in two days, though. And we're going to throw his a great welcome back party. Will you help me?-

The girl's eyes lit up at the mentioning of a new party to organize and with her mum no less! She simply nodded and asked her grandmother and Dorota to forgive her, also demanding to have cookies to placate her temper. If anyone had ever doubted that little girl to be an Humphrey, well, there was no doubt she was a Waldorf through and through.

Blair settled on the sofa next to her mother and politely asked her if they could start with the planning before her daughter's return: she knew her well enough to know she didn't want both mother and grandmother to focus on something else when she was around.

Serena joined them soon afterwards and actively participated to the planning, surprising Blair with her interest in the matter; she was sure she had never seen her best friend so eager to throw a birthday party. Not her own, at least.

The three women had to thank God, for the little girl returned into the living room skipping happily after a conspicuous snack when they were nearly done.

After collecting her daughter's personal bag, Blair promised her mother she would call her after finding a proper caterer and an exorcist for when Audrey threw extreme tantrum fits.

-Cab or subway?-she asked the girl.

-If we get the cab can we get pizza for dinner?- she asked mother, looking rather hopeful.

- Negotiating already...your father won't like it-Blair laughed and called for a taxi.

-Daddy won't mind-she grinned back.

Going from the UES to Brooklyn was always tiring, especially for Manhattan born and raised woman like her, but Blair had warmed up to the area she now considered home. The cab left them in front of the loft's entrance and they hurried in to leave the bags and pick up some cash to pay the pizza with.

Her daughter had taken the keys from her hands and rushed inside to be as fast as possible with leaving. "Good thing she has a fast metabolism" Blair thought before she heard some yelling from the apartment followed by a fit of laughter.

-Daddy, stop, it hurts!- the girl was happily giggling in her father's arms.

-Sorry, Arch, but you asked for it! Now tell me you missed me!-

-Shouldn't you be back in like...two days?- Blair left her bag on her floor and moved forward to hug her husband, showing her happiness for his return with a quick peck on the lips.

-Couldn't leave my girls for too long, could I?- Dan smiled down at her and she could see in his eyes all the longing he had felt from being away from home- Well, what about pizza? I'm up for it!-

-Me too!-Audrey joined in

And Blair snorted because, seriously, how could she not with those two as her family?

The lyrics are from This is Home by Switchfoot.

Last chapter's were from Come on Get Higher by Matt Nathanson.

So, any of you want to guess what's Blair and Dan's daughter named? No, anyone? Well, you got time 'till next chapter's publication! Good luck with that.

PS BTW, the name Dan uses to call her are her initials...


	3. Try With Me

So, anyone of you guessed the name? I decided to leave you to it for one day more. Today everything is Dair...

Everybody needs a chance at love

That's all we need

If you wanna have a chance at us

Then try with me

She was swinging in front of him following the music, her white flannel dress swirling sinuously around her legs while she moved. He wished to have brought along his camera to snap a picture of her looking so carefree and happy , no worry transpiring from her features nor schemes bugging her mind.

The sun was shining through the main window of the living room, emitting a light he could swear New York never possessed: it was way too warm on his skin to compare to the one he usually he had to stand under back home and it also seemed rather brighter.

Lily had suggested they went somewhere quiet after the scandal broke out and he had soon agreed with her. They needed peace. She needed it most of all.

Montepulciano was an extremely little town. Hidden up Tuscany's hills and far from the sea, it had become their personal piece of heaven. They spent most of their days locked in, Dan waking up early and making breakfast whenever she decided to wake up to then write some chapters of his new book on the little computer that represented their only mean of communication with the UES.

Blair would wake up late, something she had never allowed herself to do since the tender age of ten, when she decided that sleep was only a waste of time if she really wanted to have it all. Now she wasn't even sure what she had really wanted back then.

While Dan tapped away on the keyboard, she would make herself comfortable on the couch watching all the old movies they had bought on their way here: she would quote along and comment out loud, mostly trying to piss him off until he finally decided to give up his work to join her and let her turn him into her personal pillow. He learned after a short time that she did it only to have him join her, but still he pretended to be really upset and crashed on the couch looking annoyed.

Truth to be told, he waited for those times when she was asleep resting on his shoulders because that was when he got time to see her, really see her. She didn't wear any make up: Gossip Girl wasn't there to bother her, so she spent most of her day in her nightgown and barefoot. She also wore no perfume and he loved the simple smell of soap on her skin. It seemed natural. It seemed like real Blair.

This brings us back to this moment. Dan is watching her, an amazed look covering his face while she dances her time away; she's out of breath, but it doesn't bother her, she wants to keep dancing. She nearly stops when the music changes and a slow dance start. The smile is gone in a matter of seconds and he swears that his life will never be the same without it. He stands up from the armchair and joins her, capturing her hands into his and starting to lead the dance hoping o make her smile again.

She does, for a short moment, because then she puts her head on his chest and sighs happily. No need to say, his own heart skips a beat and he knows she has heard it, how could she not being where she is?

They dance quietly, not a word spoken until the end of the song. When she starts to pull away, words come out of his mind without him wanting them to.

-Marry me-he whispers softly. After realizing what he just said, he looks down right away and starts to walk backward, as if trying to get escape before her wrath hits him. She looks shocked, doubtful, pensive and then happy. Blair nods once, twice and then proceeds to burst into a fit of laughter before capturing his lips and whisper a gentle –Yes-back.

What do you think? Too sappy? Well, I don't care, it is Valentine's day after all and we all need some love today. Next chap should be up by Thursday. Let me know if you'd like something to be changed.


	4. Stereo Hearts

_**Hear my thoughts in every note  
>Make me your radio<br>Turn me up when you feel low  
>This melody was meant for you<strong>_

Why didn't the damn cab stop when he hailed it? She was so going to kill him this time, not that he deserved it, of course: as soon as Serena had called he had jumped on the first flight back from LA, phoning a raging Alessandra to excuse himself to miss out on the last tour meeting. But he definitely couldn't miss this.

The doctor had told them that it was ok for him to leave, the baby wasn't due for two weeks so he had the time to go and come back, maybe snatch some final alone-moments with his wife before everything started to change: having a child was a life-changing event, he got that, but witnessing the birth of a human being holding Blair and his features? Well, he never thought about it as something actually happening.

A pitiful cabbie stopped and took him up, though Dan had no time to thank him for doing his job and simply ordered him to head off to Lenox Hill as soon as he could. Those forty minutes were the first ones he got to himself to think about what was going to happen: he was going to be a father. Ina few hours he would be holding his child and his wife will be looking at him or her more lovingly that Dan had ever thought possible for Blair. Still, the nagging thought of being a hopeless case at fatherhood had started coming up around the seventh month, no matter how much his own father to calm him down reminding him about his past experience with Milo. He was anxious and nothing could keep him from worrying.

-What if he doesn't get here on time? What if I enter the delivery room alone?-

-B, calm down! I talked to Dan when he got off the plane: he'll be here any minute now!- Serena was trying to calm down her best friend shoving ice chips in her mouth to keep her from over talking, still she could not stop the fearful thoughts going on in her mind.

Blair didn't want to do it alone, not after she had been assured for months that she was going to have him at her side the whole time. Now the Cabbage patch had broke his promise and she was going to deliver her first born without him. She already hated the fact that he made her feel like constantly needing him, but impregnating her and leaving days before the due day was really a low shot, even for him. She should've told him she didn't want him to go. Hell, she could've even have used crying if that served the purpose.

-Mrs. Humphrey, we have to start moving her- Tracy, her personal nurse, had entered the room and started removing the connections to the monitor to lead her to the OR for her caesarean: she had decided on it because it seemed posh at the time, but she just didn't want to feel the pain.

-Waldorf-Humphrey, please, and my husband is not here yet- she said giving her best fake smile, causing Serena to look at her and mouth "Be nice".

-I know, but we have to get going- Tracy said starting to move the bed towards the corridor. They were in front of the lift when it blipped and a breathless Dan came into view. If she hadn't been in public, she would have cried tears of joy: he had kept the promise and she wasn't going to be alone.

-Hello, Tracy- he said happily handing his bag and jacket to Serena after kissing her and starting to prepare for the OR with the clothes the nurse had passed him. He bent closer to Blair's ear and whispered –Told you I'd be here-

-Always-she responded kissing him.

-Serena? Call the others, will you?- he asked his step-sister turning around.

-They're on their way! Now go and have a baby!-she yelled happily when they disappeared once again inside the lift.

After nearly three hours the whole Van der Woodsen-Humphrey-Waldorf-Archibald clan was waiting to meet the new family addition. Lily and Eleanor were discussing names, as they had done for months now, while their husbands kept arguing about which band had been the best during their youth. Jenny had called from London saying to congratulate the new-parents and send her a picture of her nephew-niece as soon as they could, and Nate, Eric and Serena simply drove the nurses crazy by asking about their friends every thirty seconds.

-Hey!- they were all called back to attention when a distraught Dan appeared in the waiting room holding a small bundle of yellow blankets and looking as if Paradise had just revealed itself to him- Come one, Blair wants to see you all-

They all followed him to Blair's private suite trying to get a look at the baby; the new mother was lying on her bed, her face lighting up at the sight of her husband and newborn.

-Hi everybody!-she said taking the baby from Dan's hands-Come on, tell them-

-Ok. We know you only want to know about the names we picked up, but Blair and I would like to explain it to you-

-Mum, family, I'd like you to meet Audrey- Blair said.

-It's a girl!-Nate exclaimed-Pay up Eric-

-Later, guys-Dan interrupted them with a smile- So, it's seems kinda obvious why we picked this name: we fell in love over Hepburn's movies and we wanted to celebrate it-

Blair never took her eyes off the baby, but started talking when she heard Dan had stopped- Then, we decided to honour Cyrus, so we got Rose as a second name. And to remind everyone she's also links with the Van der Woodsen, Dan decided that Celia had to be her third name-

The family had started tearing up after the announcement of the baby's sex, but they were now all crying after the whole explanation. Cyrus was the first one to get to Blair to hug her and thank her.

-No matter what you say, you're my daughter-he said kissing her forehead.

Lily and Rufus came next, congratulating them and telling them that CeCe was going to kill him for giving him a great-granddaughter before time. Nate and Serena told them they were ecstatic and cooed Audrey until Tracy came in to tell them visiting time was over.

Blair was tired as hell but just could not fall asleep, not with her daughter in the same room. Sleep still took over her for around half an hour and, when she woke up, she was welcomed by a heart-melting scene: Dan was standing in the middle of the room, gently lulling Audrey Rose and humming softly.

-What's that?-

-Welcome back, mummy-he said sitting next to her-We were getting bored without you so I started singing a song I heard today on my way here. She seems to like it-he handed her the baby and stood up to get some water.

-She certainly does. Come to mummy!- Blair beamed when the little girl yawned opening her eyes for the first time- She has your eyes!-

-Nope, all yours. By the way, Chuck sends those- at the foot of the bed were at least a dozen red roses and a small teddy bear saying "Mummy loves you"

-He was nice. Remember to phone him to thank him, will you?- she said before taking his hand and pulling him now back next to her.

-Of course. Tomorrow I will.

_**My heart's a stereo  
>It beats for you, so listen close<strong>_

**Finally the name was revealed! What do you think, too long? It does have a ring, though. Hope you liked it. Reviews are welcome!**


	5. Terrified

And this could be good  
>It's already better than that<br>And nothing's worse  
>Than knowing you're holding back<p>

First date. He should know what to do for a first date, right? It wasn't his first nor, if things ended as badly as he had imagined, his last, but still the fear to make one little mistake and send her away was absolutely driving him mad. He had to calm down, the sooner the better.

Blair was going to be there in ten-hell-five minutes and he had yet to phone the pizza place for their order, the candles weren't ready and he had completely forgotten to freshen up the wine. Dan looked around the loft and noticed the smallest of things out of order: he couldn't possibly had missed the enormous stain decorating the floor right next to the kitchen table, he should've been blind to not notice. Still, here it was and she was going to be there any minute now. Maybe he should just take her out to dinner and pretend for it to be a friendly night out instead of the only chance she had accepted to give him. The nagging thought of Chuck wouldn't leave his mind and he just hoped he didn't fuck up like his sort-of step brother. She didn't deserve it, not after all she had been through and after promising her it would be different with him.

-Are you going to stare at your feet all night long?-and amused Blair was standing right next to the open door, her face lightened up by a simple white blouse and very little make up. She was wearing flat shoes, so unlike her and it felt weird for him to hug her and feel her somehow shorter in his embrace.

-You really are short-he said watching her looking around as if waiting for someone to suddenly appear from behind the curtains- Calm down: I told my dad I was going out of town for a few days. Nobody knows I'm home-

-Nobody knows I'm here either-she responded crushing on his couch, pizza menu in hand and his home phone ready to make a call- I must say the subway does have its perks-

-Wait, wait, wait. Are you telling me that you, Blair Cornelia Waldorf, have willingly taken the subway? Why, I'm shocked to say the least-

-I didn't want Gossip Girl's eyes to catch me coming here in Brooklyn for a date with you-

Why did she had to remind him it was supposed to be a date? He had calmed down with their usual bantering, nearly forgetting how that night was supposed to be about making a good impression.

-You taking Diavola*, right?-she asked absent mindedly- I think I might try that one out, too-

-You should, it's great- what wasn't great were his eyes been captured by her lips when she said "Diavola", her tongue slightly appearing and driving him insane. God, she was reducing him to a babbling idiot with a pizza order: she really was a witch.

-So, I did guess about tonight's plan: pizza and movie, as usual. Well, Humphrey, you don't know how to surprise a girl-she remarked, still her smile never left her face.

-I thought, after Valentine's Day scandal, you'd have preferred a night in with Audrey, Katherine, Gregory and Cary- he explained taking out from his collection several DVD's and placing them on the coffee table in front of her.

- Charade, The Philadelphia Story, Sylvia Scarlet and Roman Holiday: you do realize we've seen them all together, right?-

-Yep, but one of the two always fell asleep at least once. Tonight we watch them ALL together, ok?-

She nodded again, her eyes twinkling in some sort of-he dared to hope-happiness and delight. She proceeded then to call their usual pizza place and had their dinner delivered while he tried to connect his computer to the his new television (courtesy of Lily for his last birthday) without being distracted by the form of her legs.

They settled on the couch with their pizza in hand and ready to comment the movie away, but the urge to kiss away some tomato sauce staining her chin had been too much to handle. She captured his lips when he was starting to go back to his sitting position and suddenly both dinner and screening were soon forgotten.

**Hello everybody, how's it going? Hope you like this new chapter as much as I liked writing it. **

*****Italian pizza with hot salame on it. You should try it, it's really great!


	6. One&Only

(Nobody's perfect, trust me I've learned it)  
>I know it ain't easy, giving up your heart<br>(Nobody's perfect, trust me I've learned it)  
>I know it ain't easy, giving up your heart<p>

-And I know I messed up, trust me…I know. I know that sometimes, most of times, I do deplorable things that should make you understand that I'm not worthy of you. But you also taught me that I can't keep going on changing who I am, you made me see there is a chance I might be something better, at least once, for myself. So, I'm begging you, begging to come home now because I'm downright drunk and hungry and I might suddenly go out and do something even worse than letting Chuck kiss me three days ago. I want you next to me, I need you next to me. I love you. Come home-

She must've drunk like really a lot to build up the courage to call him: not even in a million years he would've imagined her to apologize for something, especially when she knew she had been on the wrong side.

Needless to say, he collected his bag from the ground, waved Lily and his dad goodbye and jumped on the first train back to Brooklyn. The trip helped him clear his mind for the first time in days. He had tried to rationalize the image of Blair kissing Chuck, told himself that he should have expected it. Hell, he had expected a sudden GG blast happily announcing that the king and queen of the UES had finally gotten back together, but it didn't come. Apparently Blair never left the loft; surely, Dorota had been spotted back and forth carrying food and bags of clothes, but no trace of the brunette.

It was when he got off that Dan realized how Blair had called the loft. She had called it home. Not his place, not the loft. No, she had called home. Somehow the thought seemed to fasten his movements and he was in front of the door in less than five minutes. The door was unlocked and it was all dark inside, the lights turned off and the curtains closed. He left the bag on the floor and ventured inside trying to keep as silent as possible, making sure not to scare the hell out of his girlfriend.

She was laying on his bed, their bed, her hands holding one of his favourite shirts near her nose, as if she had been trying to inhale every bit of his smell still hidden into the fabric. She had been crying, he could see it from the reddened nose and the bits of mascara covering her cheeks. He hated seeing her this broken, even though Chuck and herself had been the cause of it all.

He laid next to her, his arms embracing her form and his lips whispering soothing words in her ear to lull her to a calm sleep. He didn't sleep, he just watched her rest and he spent the endless hours thinking about what his life would be like without this wonderful woman next to him.

She had made mistakes, who hadn't, yet she always raised up above them and proved to the world that a fall, no matter how bad it was, didn't strictly mean the end of a person. She wasn't like the high school girl he had met so many years ago: she still was bitchy at times, but he had grown to love that trait of hers. She was sweet and kind towards anyone who proved to be worthy of her time and she always fought tooth and nail for those she loved.

-You're being creepy, staring at me like that- she had shifted slightly and turned to face him. He now could see that the crying must have really taken time, because her bulbs were a bright red colour.

-Always better than drunk calls-he smiled sheepishly.

-I really did that, didn't I? God, I hate you for turning me into this sappy idiot-she said, her face trying to hide a loving smile which was soon substituted by a worried look- You're back!-

-Apparently. It is partly my house, you know?- he smiled- By the way, we might start adding a new wardrobe into Jenny's old room: I don't thinks mine is going to be able to stand new clothes or shoes. And I was thinking we might convert the shower into a bathtub? I've always been prone to romantic sessions in there. What do you think?-

-We? We are going to do all that? Together?-she seemed shocked, the reaction he had wanted to create since the very beginning.

-Of course. And I also think I might want to have a copy of the little speech you gave last night...you never know, it might turn out to be a great story to tell the grandkids- he suggested kissing her on the forehead-Now, what about breakfast?-

He trotted off to the kitchen waiting for Blair to react to his words and follow him to proceed with her own private inquisition. She didn't let him down and appeared next to him less than two minutes later.

-Grandkids, Humphrey? We might want to talk about children first-she said.

-Two, three max. And they have to be as beautiful as their mother-he pulled her to his chest and looked her straight in the eyes- We all make mistakes, nobody is perfect. And I know that you and Chuck will always have some sort of connection, but I want to be it. Because you're it for me, Blair-

-My one and only- she whispered kissing him.

-My one and only-he kissed her back.

SOME TIME LATER, ON THE KITCHEN'S FLOOR

-Two will do, but none of them will ever wear flannel!-


End file.
